So, I posted in a thread in the Foyer around New Years how Rowdy seemed to have a UTI and I took him to the animal ER and they gave him an antibiotic. Well, that helped until the antibiotic ran out, and then he was having trouble urinating again. The ex and I had an appointment to update his shots on Saturday (just a day or so after the realization that the problem wasn't fixed), so we waited to discuss this with the vet then. He also somehow has a tapeworm, which is weird because he doesn't have fleas or access to gross things to eat. The flea/heartworm meds he is on is supposed to take care of intestinal worms as well, but they said it kills everything but tapeworms, which is dumb. Anyway, that is an easy fix. So while we have him in the examining room with the vet, he urinates and it is totally red with 3 huge blood clots in it (first time we saw that happen). She felt his bladder and said there was something up, for sure, either stones or possibly cancer. He is an older dog (9), so cancer is more of a possibility than I would like to think about.

Anyway, I just dropped him off at the vet to have his surgery and I feel terrible because he doesn't like being left with strangers. He spent the 4 years before we adopted him in a shelter, and his first 4 years all alone in someone's yard. He snapped at the vet tech. He gave me those, 'Why, Mom?' eyes. I left close to tears. They're supposed to call today to tell me what's going on. How on earth am I supposed to wait for this news? I need some positive energy thrown Rowdy's way...lets collectively hope that all he has are bladder stones, ok?

Oh, also, I had to sign some thing before they would give him surgery that says I realize that he's old and the anesthesia might kill him. I hate this.

_________________But if one were to tickle Pluto, I suspect that it might very quietly laugh. - pandacookie

55k usd is like 4 cad or whatever equivalent in beavers you use on the island - joshua

I hate having to sign release forms like that too, but they're just a standard "cover your asparagus" thing for the vets. We have all of the shelter animals spayed or neutered and many of them are older and we've never had any problems.

Thanks, all. It turns out that it wasn't what anyone thought. Once they opened him up, they found two 'softball sized' (vet's words) cancerous tumors in one of his kidneys. They removed them (and possibly the entire kidney?). She told me that he was in shock and had lost a lot of fluids during the operation, and so were keeping him overnight to replenish fluids and keep him under observation. I call in the morning to see if I can bring him home. I really, really hate that he is there overnight, without me or my ex. I know he must be scared and miserable.

I also really, really hate that I'm not living with him at the moment. I want to be in control of his recovery, but I'm going to have to put a lot of trust in my ex, and also work with him a lot in general. I don't, for example, feel comfortable leaving Rowdy alone at all while he is recovering from this, so I will have to spend a lot of time in the ex's house while he is at work. I know he's fine with this, so it won't be a big deal. It's just...another thing to organize. Poor Rowdy. I know that we knew, going into this, that getting an older dog was a risk on health issues and how long he might live, but I never thought something would happen this quickly. Hopefully he recovers just fine and they got all the cancer out and he can resume long walks and ball fetching as soon as possible.

_________________But if one were to tickle Pluto, I suspect that it might very quietly laugh. - pandacookie

55k usd is like 4 cad or whatever equivalent in beavers you use on the island - joshua

Good, snuggly, happy, healthy thoughts for Rowdy and you tonight. I'm sure he'll be so happy to see you tomorrow!

_________________Did you notice the slight feeling of panic at the words "Chicken Basin Street"? Like someone was walking over your grave? Try not to remember. We must never remember. - mumblesIs this about devilberries and nazifruit again? - footface

We got him home today! They said that as long as the cancer hasn't metastasized that it should be all ok. His bloodwork looked great. Apparently, the tumors were so crazy that they all decided to get out their phones to take pictures of it (while my dog is bleeding on the operating table, awesome!). It was madness...his kidney, surrounded by the tumors, was as big as my head. I don't even know how it fit inside his body, honestly. Anyway, it's out, thank goodness. He is sore and pissed off, but doing well. Thank you for all the positive thoughts and love!

_________________But if one were to tickle Pluto, I suspect that it might very quietly laugh. - pandacookie

55k usd is like 4 cad or whatever equivalent in beavers you use on the island - joshua

_________________A whole lot of access and privilege goes into being sanctimonious pricks J-DubDessert is currently a big bowl of sanctimonious, passive aggressive vegan enduced boak. FezzaYou people are way less funny than Pandacookie. Sucks to be you.-interrobang?!